Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan's remarks at the AKP group meeting regarding the controversial motion to clear minefields along Turkey's border with Syria, where he pointed to Ostim as the location for the technology needed, drew attention to the SME-centric Ostim district. In his speech, Prime Minister Erdoğan stated, "Sir, no one in the world does this except Israel... If you go to OSTİM, you will see whether there is or isn't." Within minutes of the speech being reported by news agencies and websites, television crews from channels such as Kanal 24, Kanal Türk, ATV, Kanal B, and TGRT flocked to Ostim.
Reporters interviewed Mithat Ertuğ, Chairman of the Executive Board of the Defense Sub-Industry Cluster, which has been operating for a year, Cluster Coordinator Barış Cihan Başer, and defense industry executives from Ostim. In a statement to television, Ertuğ expressed his happiness and gratitude for the Prime Minister's mention of Ostim as a key location. "We have both the technology and the knowledge. If given the opportunity, we can manufacture mine clearing machines. We have companies conducting R&D for this, and we have a collaboration model," said Ertuğ, also explaining the steps Ostim has taken towards nationalization in the defense industry and the work done by the Cluster. The Prime Minister's remarks regarding Ostim were also featured on June 3rd in HABERTÜRK, Hürriyet, Sabah, Milliyet, Yeni Şafak, Zaman, Referans, Dünya Gazetesi, and many online news sites.
